By Yeye Akilimali Funua Oladehttp://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/arts-a-review/17856-yorubas-must-ensure-the-survival-of-their-languageArts & Review‘Yorubas must ensure the survival of their language’| Print | E-mailWritten by Adewale Oshodi Tuesday, 22 February 2011Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade, a Black American, left the United States in 1978 for Nigeria to embrace the Yoruba way of life. In this interview with Adewale Oshodi, the Chief Librarian of African Heritage Research Library (AHRC) at Adeyipo village, Ibadan, speaks on what made her to leave the United States, why she embraced the Yoruba culture, and why she has not visited America since she left 33 years ago. Excerpts:[Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade]Yeye Akilimali Funua OladeYou are a Black American who relocated to Nigeria in 1978, but don’t you think that it is rather ironic that you chose to come to Africa, when Africans themselves are struggling to migrate to America?Any black person who is in the white man’s country is a slave to white people, and by the time I was 19, I said my children would never be slaves to white people, because in reality, we were their slaves, and that is how they still treat black people till today. There is no freedom for black people, and the way they treat us is just so bad, and I decided that my children would grow up in Africa. So, by 19, I had decided that I was coming to Yorubaland because I was told by Black Americans who were practising Yoruba religion that Yoruba is the best culture in the world, as well as the best language. So that was when I decided that my children were going to grow up with the culture and speak the language, and they would never be slaves to white people.So, in 1978, I arrived in Nigeria. Then, my children were very young and I told them they must stop speaking English in the house and speak only the Yoruba language. So they spoke Yoruba. They call me Iya mi (my mother) because I told them I didn’t want to hear any word of English in the house, like mummy, and all other words that Yorubas are using to mix and destroy the language. I didn’t allow it. Now, my children are grateful for being brought up in the Yoruba culture. Even though they are back in America, they said the culture has really helped them. It has given them a sense of belonging. Now, I am confident that one day, they will also return to Yorubaland.You are in Nigeria now, but how often do you visit America?I have not gone back for once because I don’t want to be anybody’s slave. I just want to be me. I love my freedom here. The racism is still very strong in the white man’s country, especially in America. So, since 1978, I have been here. I have been enjoying Yorubaland. I have never suffered for once here like I suffered while in America. I am respected by the people around me.You speak the Yoruba language fairly well..I don’t speak it fairly well; I must tell you the truth, and that is the only problem I have with Yoruba people. If you don’t learn to speak the languagequickly,they stop trying to teach you,say you never can learn it and speak to you in english! So in that regards, they are yet to cooperate with me but I am pledging to speak only Yoruba by Dec.!Now, one of the problems we are having with the language is that Yoruba parents encourage their children to speak only the English language. What do you have to say to this?That is how they are destroying the language, and they will be slave to English and white people forever. Once you take up another man’s language, you will become a slave to the real owners of the language.What do you find interesting in the Yoruba culture?Yoruba culture is the best in the world. Yorubas were in Egypt. The culture is the most developed in Africa, and that means it is the best in the world; I must tell you that the white culture is not developed. The Asian culture is also developed, but nothing compares with the African culture.Do you still maintain contacts with your friends in America despite leaving there 33 years ago?Of course, we are still very much in contact. I tell them everyday why they should return home to Africa. Africa is home to blacks all over the world. I tell them I am ready to help get them settled, and a lot of them are ready to come now because the racism is just so bad, and because I have coped really well here for 33 years, they say it means the place is not that terrible.Since you came, was there a day you regretted your decision to relocate to Africa?Not even once. The black man should be in the black man’s land. There is no way a black person can be happy in a white country. No matter how rich the black man is; no matter how successful he is, he is still not respected. They can pick him up anytime and say he robbed a bank, and then get him jailed without any evidence of him committing any crime. Those Nigerians who are abroad, majority of them are only working for the money, so after a while, they will raise some money, put up a structure back at home and then return when they feel they have achieved a degree of financial success.And you were not discouraged by the lack of infrastructure, the lack of electricity, among other things, coming from a country that has everything?First of all, freedom is the most important thing in life. If you have never been free, like the blacks in America, and you come to a place where you are free, will you be talking about electricity? Although there are some Black Americans who come here, and they dwell on the lack of infrastructure, but that is not for me. I want my children to be free. Everything is here for me. I cherish the culture, the language, and the respect people give me. Everywhere I go, I am respected. A black is not respected in America. Some people even wonder how I can be living in the village. But for me, freedom comes first.

Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade, a Black American, left the United States in 1978 for Nigeria to embrace the Yoruba way of life. In this interview with Adewale Oshodi, the Chief Librarian of African Heritage Research Library (AHRC) at Adeyipo village, Ibadan, speaks on what made her to leave the United States, why she embraced the Yoruba culture, and why she has not visited America since she left 33 years ago. Excerpts:

[Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade]

Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade
You are a Black American who relocated to Nigeria in 1978, but don’t you think that it is rather ironic that you chose to come to Africa, when Africans themselves are struggling to migrate to America?
Any black person who is in the white man’s country is a slave to white people, and by the time I was 19, I said my children would never be slaves to white people, because in reality, we were their slaves, and that is how they still treat black people till today. There is no freedom for black people, and the way they treat us is just so bad, and I decided that my children would grow up in Africa. So, by 19, I had decided that I was coming to Yorubaland because I was told by Black Americans who were practising Yoruba religion that Yoruba is the best culture in the world, as well as the best language. So that was when I decided that my children were going to grow up with the culture and speak the language, and they would never be slaves to white people.

So, in 1978, I arrived in Nigeria. Then, my children were very young and I told them they must stop speaking English in the house and speak only the Yoruba language. So they spoke Yoruba. They call me Iya mi (my mother) because I told them I didn’t want to hear any word of English in the house, like mummy, and all other words that Yorubas are using to mix and destroy the language. I didn’t allow it. Now, my children are grateful for being brought up in the Yoruba culture. Even though they are back in America, they said the culture has really helped them. It has given them a sense of belonging. Now, I am confident that one day, they will also return to Yorubaland.

You are in Nigeria now, but how often do you visit America?
I have not gone back for once because I don’t want to be anybody’s slave. I just want to be me. I love my freedom here. The racism is still very strong in the white man’s country, especially in America. So, since 1978, I have been here. I have been enjoying Yorubaland. I have never suffered for once here like I suffered while in America. I am respected by the people around me.

You speak the Yoruba language fairly well..
I don’t speak it fairly well; I must tell you the truth, and that is the only problem I have with Yoruba people. If you don’t learn to speak the languagequickly,they stop trying to teach you,say you never can learn it and speak to you in english! So in that regards, they are yet to cooperate with me but I am pledging to speak only Yoruba by

Now, one of the problems we are having with the language is that Yoruba parents encourage their children to speak only the English language. What do you have to say to this?
That is how they are destroying the language, and they will be slave to English and white people forever. Once you take up another man’s language, you will become a slave to the real owners of the language.

What do you find interesting in the Yoruba culture?
Yoruba culture is the best in the world. Yorubas were in Egypt. The culture is the most developed in Africa, and that means it is the best in the world; I must tell you that the white culture is not developed. The Asian culture is also developed, but nothing compares with the African culture.

Do you still maintain contacts with your friends in America despite leaving there 33 years ago?
Of course, we are still very much in contact. I tell them everyday why they should return home to Africa. Africa is home to blacks all over the world. I tell them I am ready to help get them settled, and a lot of them are ready to come now because the racism is just so bad, and because I have coped really well here for 33 years, they say it means the place is not that terrible.

Since you came, was there a day you regretted your decision to relocate to Africa?
Not even once. The black man should be in the black man’s land. There is no way a black person can be happy in a white country. No matter how rich the black man is; no matter how successful he is, he is still not respected. They can pick him up anytime and say he robbed a bank, and then get him jailed without any evidence of him committing any crime. Those Nigerians who are abroad, majority of them are only working for the money, so after a while, they will raise some money, put up a structure back at home and then return when they feel they have achieved a degree of financial success.

And you were not discouraged by the lack of infrastructure, the lack of electricity, among other things, coming from a country that has everything?
First of all, freedom is the most important thing in life. If you have never been free, like the blacks in America, and you come to a place where you are free, will you be talking about electricity? Although there are some Black Americans who come here, and they dwell on the lack of infrastructure, but that is not for me. I want my children to be free. Everything is here for me. I cherish the culture, the language, and the respect people give me. Everywhere I go, I am respected. A black is not respected in America. Some people even wonder how I can be living in the village. But for me, freedom comes first.

BLACK VIRGINITY! -LET’S GO BACK TO IT AND SAVE BLACK GIRLS FROM SHAME AND UNHAPPINESS!FROM true-love-relationship-advice.com

Virgin Girl – Keep Your Virginity, Gain Self EsteemA virgin girl may not appreciate what she has. Some girls actually loose their virginity because of peer pressure. They give away their virginity just to fit in, just to belong.

Here’s some great news.

Contrary to what your friends say, being a virgin girl is perfectly normal. You’re perfectly normal as a virgin. You won’t fall ill because you didn’t have sex before twenty one. You won’t even get sick if you don’t have sex before thirty five.

Another thing. You don’t have to play along with your friends to do evil in other to feel great about yourself. You don’t have to belong to a certain circle of friends to be important.

You can achieve what you want to achieve and be anything you want to be without having to follow the wrong crowd. Self-esteem is a thing of the mind. If you feel good about yourself no one can put you down.

This is important because many young girls have veered into sexual misconduct simply to please their friends or to be rated as mature by friends.

Some other college girls have been lured to sexual misbehavior because they fear they may get sick if they do not have sex before they are twenty.

This may all sound silly and irrational to you. But ignorance breeds fear.

To compound matters, many parents do not feel comfortable discussing sexual matters with their children. When children ask questions relating to sexuality, many parents skim over the subject or dodge it outright.

That doesn’t help your children.

Since parents often fail to carry out their responsibility to their children, these innocent children turn to their peers for answers. And the answers they get are often distorted and far from the truth.

The result?

Pregnant teens, troubled teens, and reckless teens that become depressed adults. These depressed adults eventually become a nuisance to society.

You young woman reading this, I have this simple advice for you.

Do not join your friends to experiment with sex. It is like walking on red hot coal. Your legs will get burnt.

If you are a virgin girl, maintain your virginity. Your virginity is a source of pride to your parents. And when you get married as a virgin girl, your husband will be extremely proud of you.

Remaining a virgin girl until you marry establishes your marriage on sound footing of trust. Your husband knows he can trust you because you have self-discipline and love of righteousness.

It takes self-discipline, self-control, and love of God to stay morally upright in this decadent generation. When you are able to do that and maintain your virginity straight to marriage you gain self-esteem as a woman of substance.

Besides, you save yourself the trauma your wayward schoolmates experience. You save yourself the pain of teen pregnancy and fatherless baby. And you save yourself the pain of a wasted life.

Your friends are wrong when they say virginity is archaic and dark age morality.

Remaining a virgin girl is a thing of pride. As a virgin you can hold your head high anywhere you go. You have no need of shame.

You have self-confidence, self-esteem, poise and a feeling of fulfillment.

Wouldn’t you rather remain an innocent virgin girl and enjoy such honor than be tossed about because your stomach is bulging with pregnancy for a baby who has no father?

Yeah. I know you will do the right thing.

However, there are certain mistakes that young people your age make that undermine their decision to remain a virgin girl.

Young girls tend to be avid readers of romance stories.

Romance stories tend to create sexual passion and often cause their readers especially women to fantasize about life with Mr. Perfect.

These girls feel the passion in the stories and wish for a life just like that in the stories. The romance in the romance novels results in a buildup of sexual fantasy in many girls. A regular dose of sexual fantasy eventually results in a desire for the real thing.

Then what?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Yes, romance novels make interesting reading. But many teach values that derail youths by creating desires that lead them astray.

Do you really want to remain a virgin girl?

Then stay clear of material that arouse your sexual desires. If you don’t, you will have trouble maintaining your virginity and self-esteem.

response to the original post – it talks about staying away from fantasy and romantic novels. i also want to add that this country is set up to feed sex to you all of the time. all of the tv show and movies, even commercials and cartoons are filled with sexual suggestive behavior and language. all of those things make being a virgin more difficult…especially for boys and men. they then get all of these desires built up inside of them, and they know the only way they can get the girls to have sex with them (without marriage) is to lie to them so they can get what they want.

response to the original post – it talks about staying away from fantasy and romantic novels. i also want to add that this country is set up to feed sex to you all of the time. all of the tv show and movies, even commercials and cartoons are filled with sexual suggestive behavior and language. all of those things make being a virgin more difficult…especially for boys and men. they then get all of these desires built up inside of them, and they know the only way they can get the girls to have sex with them (without marriage) is to lie to them so they can get what they want.

The way movies and romantic novels play out sex scenes and romantic ‘love making’ makes me wonder like shittt i hope the guy’s expectations of getting it on with me aren’t a refelction of what we being shown on tv etc.. cos he’ll be sadly mistaken lol.

Logged

If I could give u one thing in life, I would give u the ability to see yourself through my eyes.. only then would u realize how special u are to me

response to the original post – it talks about staying away from fantasy and romantic novels. i also want to add that this country is set up to feed sex to you all of the time. all of the tv show and movies, even commercials and cartoons are filled with sexual suggestive behavior and language. all of those things make being a virgin more difficult…especially for boys and men. they then get all of these desires built up inside of them, and they know the only way they can get the girls to have sex with them (without marriage) is to lie to them so they can get what they want.

The way movies and romantic novels play out sex scenes and romantic ‘love making’ makes me wonder like shittt i hope the guy’s expectations of getting it on with me aren’t a refelction of what we being shown on tv etc.. cos he’ll be sadly mistaken lol.

i always think the same thing! i be thinking “people are waaaayyyy to FREAKY when it comes to sex…i ain’t doing all that sh*t.” i refuse to hang upside down, handcuff to a chandelier trying to have sex!

response to the original post – it talks about staying away from fantasy and romantic novels. i also want to add that this country is set up to feed sex to you all of the time. all of the tv show and movies, even commercials and cartoons are filled with sexual suggestive behavior and language. all of those things make being a virgin more difficult…especially for boys and men. they then get all of these desires built up inside of them, and they know the only way they can get the girls to have sex with them (without marriage) is to lie to them so they can get what they want.

The way movies and romantic novels play out sex scenes and romantic ‘love making’ makes me wonder like shittt i hope the guy’s expectations of getting it on with me aren’t a refelction of what we being shown on tv etc.. cos he’ll be sadly mistaken lol.

i always think the same thing! i be thinking “people are waaaayyyy to FREAKY when it comes to sex…i ain’t doing all that sh*t.” i refuse to hang upside down, handcuff to a chandelier trying to have sex!

Hahaha Dawn ur crazy, but your right just because i did gymnastics as a child doesnt mean am all bendy and can do some crazy sex positions or something lol

« Last Edit: February 05, 2011, 08:36:29 AM by Dawn »

Logged

If I could give u one thing in life, I would give u the ability to see yourself through my eyes.. only then would u realize how special u are to me

response to the original post – it talks about staying away from fantasy and romantic novels. i also want to add that this country is set up to feed sex to you all of the time. all of the tv show and movies, even commercials and cartoons are filled with sexual suggestive behavior and language. all of those things make being a virgin more difficult…especially for boys and men. they then get all of these desires built up inside of them, and they know the only way they can get the girls to have sex with them (without marriage) is to lie to them so they can get what they want.

The way movies and romantic novels play out sex scenes and romantic ‘love making’ makes me wonder like shittt i hope the guy’s expectations of getting it on with me aren’t a refelction of what we being shown on tv etc.. cos he’ll be sadly mistaken lol.

i always think the same thing! i be thinking “people are waaaayyyy to FREAKY when it comes to sex…i ain’t doing all that sh*t.” i refuse to hang upside down, handcuff to a chandelier trying to have sex!

I would willingly do some of that stuff for my HUSBAND.

Logged

“This year’s events will make it plain that you do not require the approval of others.”

yes people can be crazy with sex these days…i noticed in the late 90s that love scenes in movies started becoming more rough and aggressive. back in the day, loves scenes used to slow, sweet and sexy, now a days its just wham bam, slam the woman against the wall, get in between her legs and go to town…i mean it’s ridiculous. Where is the romance, where is the love?

response to the original post – it talks about staying away from fantasy and romantic novels. i also want to add that this country is set up to feed sex to you all of the time. all of the tv show and movies, even commercials and cartoons are filled with sexual suggestive behavior and language. all of those things make being a virgin more difficult…especially for boys and men. they then get all of these desires built up inside of them, and they know the only way they can get the girls to have sex with them (without marriage) is to lie to them so they can get what they want.

I agree, especially when there is a lack of parental moral guidance. Gratuitous sex is like gratuitous foul language in entertainment…both are usually unnecessary if you have a good story to tell. I am no angel. I sometimes have a foul mouth when I get angry, but it is not something that we should aspire to when making “cultural contributions.”

Spectators at the lynching of Jesse Washington. May 16, 1916. Waco, Texas.

The bludgeoned body of an African American male, propped in a rocking chair, blood splattered clothes, white and dark paint applied to the face and head, shadow of man using rod to prop up the victims head. Circa 1900, location unknown.

Here is a strange and bitter cry!Lyrics of the famed song: “Strange Fruit”.(Recorded by the Late Billie Holiday)

As the dust of the Civil war settled, many Blacks saw an era of prosperity and hope. This dream was cut drastically as a concerted effort was begun by whites to destroy any advances which Blacks had made for themselves. This effort was extremely successful in removing Blacks from the many state and federal offices which Reconstruction had allowed them to hold. But this was not enough. The architects of the revived South needed something more to further the cause of white supremacy and Black oppression. Out of this need, the era of Jim Crow was born with its “separate but equal” claims. And with it came a wave of violence against America’s newest citizens. The social atmosphere of white supremacy which Jim Crow had managed to create soon became a tide of hatred. Bolstered by the idea of the inferiority of Blacks and the protection of “white womanhood,” whites saw it as nothing to trample Blacks in a storm of violence. These attacks included lynchings, burnings, and race riots. And though the majority of this violence took place in the South, the North was by no means immune. For more than a century, angry whites made the life of Black America a continuous nightmare.

Burnings and Lynchings

Lynching is the practice whereby a mob–usually several dozen or several hundred persons–takes the law into its own hands in order to injure and kill a person accused of some wrongdoing. The alleged offense can range from a serious crime like theft or murder to a mere violation of local customs and sensibilities. The issue of the victim’s guilt is usually secondary, since the mob serves as prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner. Due process yields to momentary passions and expedient objectives.Men ve över den ogudaktige! Honom skall det gå illa, han skall vedergällas efter sina gärningar. Jesaja 3:11Burnings of Blacks were commonplace in America following Reconstruction. Primarily the victims were Black males who were often mutilated, shot and beaten… before being burned on pyres. This Black man was beaten, stoned, dragged through the street and then burned alive by onlookers.His body parts were later sold: as souvenirs, which was often the custom.Mob lynchings were a common form of death for young Black men. The idea that most of these men were charged with the rape of white women is a false one. Their alleged crimes were numerous: using offensive language; bad reputation; refusal to give up a farm; throwing stones; unpopularity; slapping a white child; and stealing hogs to name a few.In East Texas a black man and his three sons were lynched for the grand crime of harvesting the first cotton of the season. Only 19% of those lynched were ever charged with rape. Fewer were ever proven. It should be remembered that it was not only Black men who were killed during this era. The lynching of Mary Turner best illustrates this. Turner, a pregnant Black woman, was lynched in Valdosta, Georgia in 1918. Turner was tied to a tree, doused with gasoline and motor oil and burned. As she dangled from the rope, a man stepped forward with a pocketknife and ripped open her abdomen in a crude Cesarean operation. A news reporter who witnessed the killing wrote, Out tumbled the prematurely born child. Two feeble cries it gave—and received for the answer the heel of a stalwart man, as life was ground out of the tiny form. There was a Silent Protest March of 1917 against lynching which featured the famous banner, Mother, do lynchers go to heaven?Voi jumalatonta! Hänen käy pahoin, sillä hänen kättensä teot maksetaan hänelle. Jesaja 3:11 Ida B. Wells was one of the most outspoken crusaders against lynchings, burnings, and other acts of white on Black violence. For forty years she rallied her cause in both America and Europe. A radical for her times, Wells worked feverishly to dispel the myth of the sex-starved, white skin lusting, black rapist. This was an act which put her life in danger time and time again. No pacifist, she stated defiantly that the greatest deterrent against lynching was for every Black man to keep a Winchester rifle at his window. Ida B. Wells wrote several long and detailed studies on lynchings which are still regarded as some of the best works on the subject even today.

White Riots

Often the word ‘riot’ conveys in one’s head the idea of Black urban residents rebelling as seen since the 1960s. But riots were a part of America long before Blacks decided to take part. Throughout the United States, riots erupted as angry white citizenry of all classes took to the streets to terrorize and attack Blacks. They took place in Memphis, Chicago, Wilmington, and elsewhere. Entire prosperous Black districts were destroyed in Oklahoma, Texas and Florida by jealous whites. These white riots were numerous both in the North and South and were often helped along by the local police or militia.Many lynchings of course were never reported beyond the community involved. Furthermore, mobs used especially sadistic tactics when blacks were the prime targets. By the 1890s lynchers increasingly employed burning, torture, and dismemberment to: prolong suffering and excite a: ‘festive atmosphere’ among the killers and onlookers. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. Isaiah 3:11

Picnic

Here is another little known Black History Fact. This information is in the African American Archives at the Smithsonian Institute. Although not taught in American learning institutions and literature, it is in most Black history professional circles and literature that the origin of the term: ‘picnic’ derives from the acts of lynching African-Americans. The word: ‘picnic’ is rooted from the whole theme of: ‘Pick A Nigger’.This is where individuals would: ‘pic’ a Black person to lynch… and make this into: a family gathering…. There would be music and a: ‘picnic’. (‘Nic’ being the white acronym for: ‘nigger’). Scenes of this were in the movie Rosewood. The black producers and writers should have chosen to use the word ‘barbecue’ or ‘outing’ instead of the word ‘picnic’. To attempt to tie lynchings to family outings, where food was served, is to misunderstand the real nature of these events. Rather, they were outbreaks of mass white hysteria, and attempts by groups of Whites to terrorize and brutalize the entire Black communities where they occurred. Often, they were motivated by alleged acts of violence by Blacks against Whites, alleged disrespect and other breaches of Southern racial ‘etiquette’, and on many occasions, victims were chosen at random. Although women and children were frequently present, it is more accurate to view these events as collective psychotic behavior, rather than family outings. Lynching had become a ritual of interracial social control and recreation rather than simply a punishment for crime.If it is necessary, every Negro in the state will be lynched, declared James Vardaman while he was governor of Mississippi (1904-1908). It will be done to maintain white supremacy.Malheur au méchant! Il est sur la mauvaise (voie). Car il lui sera fait ce que ses mains aruont préparé. Êsaîe 3.11

Christian-Charles de Plicque, Evangelist/JournalistAngel House International Missions Ministries Karleby Finland

The national coordinator of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Chief Gani Adams, has harped on the importance of the Yoruba language to the promotion of cultural heritage of the race.

The OPC boss while speaking during a Yoruba quiz competition to mark the maiden edition of the “Grandmothers Festival” in Lagos , charged teachers and parents to be more dedicated to the teaching of the Yoruba language .

Adams also charged governments of south- western states of Nigeria, to formulate and execute policies that would contribute to the development of the Yoruba language .

He said that the Yoruba language should be added to the requirements for Yoruba students seeking admission to higher institutions of learning ,especially in Yoruba–speaking states

Adams noted that quiz competitions were part of the initiatives of the Olokun Festival Foundation to propagate the Yoruba culture among primary and secondary school students .

“ Yoruba quiz competitions are aimed at allowing the young people , especially students, to get involved in the development of Yoruba language and culture,“ he expalined.

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the firstThe First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as Originally Reported by Roland S. Martin
Click to order via Amazon
by Roland S. Martin
Includes a DVD of the author’s interviews with the Obamas
Paperback: 372 pages
Publisher: Third World Press; 1 edition (January 31, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0883783169
ISBN-13: 978-0883783160
Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
Book Review by Kam Williams
“On February 10, 2007, Barack Hussein Obama stood before thousands waiting in the cold in front of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois and made his intentions known: he was running for president. This book traces tracks this journey through my eyes as I covered the improbable road to the presidency of Obama…
My aim in publishing this book is to offer an historical account of covering this stunning and exciting race, but to also offer in real-time the ups and downs of the campaign, and even take a look back at various moments from my perspective , as well as those of some of the entertainers and others I crossed paths with along the way.”
-Excerpted from the Introduction (pgs. xxii-xxiii)
If you’re interested in revisiting the 2008 Presidential campaign from the perspective of an African-American journalist afforded access to candidate Barack Obama, then this coffee table keepsake was undoubtedly designed with you in mind. For, between December of 2006 and Election Day a couple years later, Roland Martin filed hundreds of reports, in his capacity as a political correspondent for the CNN and TV-One Networks, as a radio talk show host, and as a nationally-syndicated columnist.

The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House is essentially a chronological rehash of Martin’s interviews, articles and news stories which collectively paint a complete picture of the evolution of Obama from long shot to contender to favorite to the first black President of the United States.
What is likely to make this opus fairly absorbing for the average history buff is the fact that these real-time entries accurately reflect the pulse of the country at each moment of the campaign, as the political sands shifted back and forth beneath the feet of the pivotal players.
It’s all recounted here, mostly in the author’s own words, from the Iowa caucuses (“All of a sudden, there is a sense that Obama actually could win this thing.”) to the Michelle Obama patriotism question (“Was it a big deal. Nope?”) to the Reverend Wright controversy (“I fundamentally believe that whites and blacks reacted differently [to] the snippets of Wright’s preaching.”). Overall, the astute observations of a partisan who never hid his allegiances yet still proved pretty prescient in terms of forecasting the outcome of the landmark presidential election.

Latest Video
The First
Get your copy of Roland S. Martin’s new book today!
Washington, D.C. – January 12, 2010 – Award-winning journalist Roland S. Martin, who captured the first interview with President Barack Obama regarding the racial controversy surrounding Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), releases his third book, The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House on January 20, 2010. The book marks the first year anniversary of Barack Obama’s presidency.
The First takes readers behind-the-scenes for a closer look at his interviews with both Barack and Michelle Obama for CNN, TV ONE, Essence.com, WVON-AM in Chicago and the Tom Joyner Morning Show over the last two years. The book includes insider details that go beyond the regular reports, like original coverage of celebrities who were heavily invested in the election, sixteen pages of color photos, and a DVD featuring two interviews with Martin and President Obama on TV ONE that won back-to-back NAACP Awards.
As a member of CNN’s “Best Political Team on Television” and political editor for the TV ONE Cable Network during the election
Click book to buy your copy today!
campaigns, Martin found himself in the catbird seat while one of the most momentous events in black history was on a collision course with destiny. Now, his new book, which is being co-published by Martin and Third World Press, takes readers back down President Barack Obama’s campaign trail in a chronological journal of events that dates back to when then Senator Obama had yet to announce his candidacy and follows him on his journey to the presidency.
“It was always amazing to listen to journalism icons like Vernon Jarrett, Lerone Bennett and Sam Lacy talk about covering some of the major stories of the 20th century, such as Jackie Robinson breaking the baseball color barrier, Muhammad Ali’s rise to become heavyweight champion, and the Civil Rights Movement. Covering the eventual election of President Barack Obama was on par with those historic achievements. To have a front row seat at history was amazing, and I wanted to serve as sort of my recollection of the campaign as it was unfolding. It was also amazing to go back and talk to individuals who hit the campaign for then-Sen. Obama, and get an understanding of their motivations, and the raw emotions they felt as the race went down to the wire and history was made. “This campaign dominated my life for two years and it was worth every moment.”
Through his charismatic writing style, Martin presents an in-depth analysis of the presidential campaign and Obama’s struggles and successes. He gives readers insight on how each important event played out in front of the nation and also shares interviews from his broadcasts, including a one-on-one conversation with President Obama after his win in Iowa in January 2008. Other notable interviews include Dr. Cornel West, Rep John Lewis, Spike Lee, Maxine Waters and Michael Eric Dyson.
Roland Martin is a multi-faceted journalist, reporting on many different platforms including, television, radio, newspapers and online. He is the host and Managing Editor for TV One’s “Washington Watch with Roland Martin,” and a CNN contributor, appearing on a variety of the network’s shows. In addition, he is a senior analyst for the Tom Joyner Morning Show providing daily reports for the program. And is a syndicated columnist for Creators Syndicate.
In addition to his interviews with President Obama, and First Lady Michelle Obama, Martin has recently made waves in the media with high profile interviews including Vice President Joe Biden and Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele on TV ONE and General Colin Powell on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Earlier this year, he was presented the “Broadcaster of the Year” Award by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and was named one of EBONY magazine’s “Power 150″ for the third year in a row.
Roland S. Martin is also the author of Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith, and Speak Brother: A Black Man’s View of America.

(THE FIRST) President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as Originally Reported by Roland S. Martin [With DVD] by Martin, Roland S.(Author)Paperback{The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as Originally Reported by Roland S. Martin [With DVD]} on01-Jan-2010

The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as Originally Reported by Roland S. Martin Click to order via Amazonby Roland S. MartinIncludes a DVD of the author’s interviews with the ObamasPaperback: 372 pages Publisher: Third World Press; 1 edition (January 31, 2010) Language: English ISBN-10: 0883783169 ISBN-13: 978-0883783160 Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches Book Review by Kam Williams

“On February 10, 2007, Barack Hussein Obama stood before thousands waiting in the cold in front of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois and made his intentions known: he was running for president. This book traces tracks this journey through my eyes as I covered the improbable road to the presidency of Obama…

My aim in publishing this book is to offer an historical account of covering this stunning and exciting race, but to also offer in real-time the ups and downs of the campaign, and even take a look back at various moments from my perspective , as well as those of some of the entertainers and others I crossed paths with along the way.”-Excerpted from the Introduction (pgs. xxii-xxiii)

If you’re interested in revisiting the 2008 Presidential campaign from the perspective of an African-American journalist afforded access to candidate Barack Obama, then this coffee table keepsake was undoubtedly designed with you in mind. For, between December of 2006 and Election Day a couple years later, Roland Martin filed hundreds of reports, in his capacity as a political correspondent for the CNN and TV-One Networks, as a radio talk show host, and as a nationally-syndicated columnist.

The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House is essentially a chronological rehash of Martin’s interviews, articles and news stories which collectively paint a complete picture of the evolution of Obama from long shot to contender to favorite to the first black President of the United States. What is likely to make this opus fairly absorbing for the average history buff is the fact that these real-time entries accurately reflect the pulse of the country at each moment of the campaign, as the political sands shifted back and forth beneath the feet of the pivotal players. It’s all recounted here, mostly in the author’s own words, from the Iowa caucuses (“All of a sudden, there is a sense that Obama actually could win this thing.”) to the Michelle Obama patriotism question (“Was it a big deal. Nope?”) to the Reverend Wright controversy (“I fundamentally believe that whites and blacks reacted differently [to] the snippets of Wright’s preaching.”). Overall, the astute observations of a partisan who never hid his allegiances yet still proved pretty prescient in terms of forecasting the outcome of the landmark presidential election.

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Get your copy of Roland S. Martin’s new book today!Washington, D.C. – January 12, 2010 – Award-winning journalist Roland S. Martin, who captured the first interview with President Barack Obama regarding the racial controversy surrounding Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), releases his third book, The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House on January 20, 2010. The book marks the first year anniversary of Barack Obama’s presidency.

The First takes readers behind-the-scenes for a closer look at his interviews with both Barack and Michelle Obama for CNN, TV ONE, Essence.com, WVON-AM in Chicago and the Tom Joyner Morning Show over the last two years. The book includes insider details that go beyond the regular reports, like original coverage of celebrities who were heavily invested in the election, sixteen pages of color photos, and a DVD featuring two interviews with Martin and President Obama on TV ONE that won back-to-back NAACP Awards.As a member of CNN’s “Best Political Team on Television” and political editor for the TV ONE Cable Network during the election

Click book to buy your copy today!

campaigns, Martin found himself in the catbird seat while one of the most momentous events in black history was on a collision course with destiny. Now, his new book, which is being co-published by Martin and Third World Press, takes readers back down President Barack Obama’s campaign trail in a chronological journal of events that dates back to when then Senator Obama had yet to announce his candidacy and follows him on his journey to the presidency.“It was always amazing to listen to journalism icons like Vernon Jarrett, Lerone Bennett and Sam Lacy talk about covering some of the major stories of the 20th century, such as Jackie Robinson breaking the baseball color barrier, Muhammad Ali’s rise to become heavyweight champion, and the Civil Rights Movement. Covering the eventual election of President Barack Obama was on par with those historic achievements. To have a front row seat at history was amazing, and I wanted to serve as sort of my recollection of the campaign as it was unfolding. It was also amazing to go back and talk to individuals who hit the campaign for then-Sen. Obama, and get an understanding of their motivations, and the raw emotions they felt as the race went down to the wire and history was made. “This campaign dominated my life for two years and it was worth every moment.”Through his charismatic writing style, Martin presents an in-depth analysis of the presidential campaign and Obama’s struggles and successes. He gives readers insight on how each important event played out in front of the nation and also shares interviews from his broadcasts, including a one-on-one conversation with President Obama after his win in Iowa in January 2008. Other notable interviews include Dr. Cornel West, Rep John Lewis, Spike Lee, Maxine Waters and Michael Eric Dyson.Roland Martin is a multi-faceted journalist, reporting on many different platforms including, television, radio, newspapers and online. He is the host and Managing Editor for TV One’s “Washington Watch with Roland Martin,” and a CNN contributor, appearing on a variety of the network’s shows. In addition, he is a senior analyst for the Tom Joyner Morning Show providing daily reports for the program. And is a syndicated columnist for Creators Syndicate.In addition to his interviews with President Obama, and First Lady Michelle Obama, Martin has recently made waves in the media with high profile interviews including Vice President Joe Biden and Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele on TV ONE and General Colin Powell on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Earlier this year, he was presented the “Broadcaster of the Year” Award by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and was named one of EBONY magazine’s “Power 150″ for the third year in a row.Roland S. Martin is also the author of Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith, and Speak Brother: A Black Man’s View of America.

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OUR BLACK STANDARD OF BEAUTY!

BLACK-SKINNED WOMEN: QUEEN MOTHERS OF THE BLACK RACE AND ALL BEAUTY!
Why do I sing Praises of your Beautiful, Black, ebony,velvet skin,”Blacker than the sky at midnight”{1},your full mushroomed mouth, your beautiful broad nose, your generous “Congo hips” {2}and full-flowered backside? Because for too long many of the Black Race have abused, dishonored you, degraded and denied you your crown, Queen of Queens,Queen Mother of the Black Race, Black Beauty Supreme! From you all the beauty of the Black Race springs forth.In fact all the world’s beauty springs from you,Mother of all beauty of all the races of the world! Your Black midnight,licorice,dark black chocolate,beauty, is Blackness concentrated in your beautiful “Black-blueberry”{3} face!
First in the order of creation is always given respect by Afrikan tradition. The 1st wife, the 1st elder, the 1st kingdom, the 1st original inhabitants, of the earth-all are considered with honor. So it should be with Black Beauty-our darkest -skinned Sisters are the 1st Mothers of the Universe-Black as a color came before all the many tones of brown,red,yellow and white. But for too long our Dark-skinned Queens have not been given the respect and place of honor they deserve. IN FACT THE WHITE BOY HAS INTIATED the cycle of reversing the true order of things by turning upside down the pyramid of Beauty, and placing white-light on top and relegating the most beautiful Black-skinned Beauties to rock bottom!
So Black people have been taught well how to deny our most
beautiful one her crown, taught how to reject our Blackest, most Afrikan features, full lips and nose and mouth and woollest hair, for the weaker characteristics of the white race. Shame on Black people! When will we wake up to this Black Beauty concentrated, from whence all our lesser beauty comes. When will we give the crown of crowns,the throne of thrones, to the Blackest Queen of Queens?
Most of us who suffer from”mulatto-mentality” and “yellow fever”, as Fela, our great Nigerian Musician calls it, will go on and on about what about us lighter queens-aren’t we/they beautiful too, yet you/we should be aware that such queens have gotten all the play in the past and that even in Black Egypt one of the reasons for its downfall was the allowing the lighter ones of the race, to place themselves above the rest of us in the name of lightness and pride of light-closer/to/whiteness. So if we’re yellow,to light brown/red, then we should give respect where respect is due and not live off of the artificial white thrill of having “white features” as if it is an advantage. Where would you be without your BLACKEST great Grandmother? We should honor the Blackest part of ourselves, thus giving us true pride of Blackness, not verbal signifyin’ but real testifyin’ that BLACK is beautiful! If the Blackest, most Afrikan-featured Sister isn’t respected as the Supreme Beauty of the Race,the Black woman’s beauty is not really respected at all for what it really is(only in terms of how closer to white we look). We all reflect the strengths of this concentrated beauty in ourselves, all the manifestations of how Blackness can present itself are seen in our faces. Down to the milk-lightest of us, our Blackness is what dominates us whether physically or mentally. But the Mother is greater than the child and so the Blackest is greater than all the other tones of the Black Race. If we don’t respect our Blackest Queen, we don’t respect our True Black selves. We must have a Black value for BLACKNESS in features and skin tone. We must have a Black Standard of Beauty based on the Black-skinned woman. ALL PRAISES DUE TO OUR BLACK-SKINNED QUEEN-MOTHERS!
Sister Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade
1981,Lagos,Nigeria
BLACK NOTES: Let me give tribute to Brother Damu,House of Umoja(San Francisco) for{1}
{2}Brother O.O. Gabugan in the poem “Black Queen For a Day”,{3}Sister Sonia Sanchez in her poem “,Queens of the Universe”,for the quoted words used in the first part of this article.

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GABOUREY SIDIBE IS A BIG BLACK SKINNED BEAUTY WHO HAS BROKEN THE IMITATION WHITE GIRL GLASS STANDARD OF BEAUTY!